The Search for Con Mane

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Day on Duty
Chapter 2 - The Rescue
Chapter 3 - Who is Con Mane?
Chapter 4 - Donut Joe Undercover
Chapter 5 - Spy Business
Chapter 6 - I Work Alone
Chapter 7 - Con Somepony Help?
Chapter 8 - The Search for Con Mane
Chapter 9 - I Don't Work Alone
Chapter 10 - Who Wants Donuts?

Chapter 1 - Day on Duty

Chapter 1 – Day on Duty

April 12th, 2012

It was an ordinary day in Canterlot, the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, warm temperatures. It was just another day on the job for Thunderblast, a Corporal in the Equestrian Royal Guard, and his friend Spear, also a Corporal. They were on duty outside one of the main castle entrances.

*yawn* Spear yawned, loud enough for his friend to hear him.

“Tired?” Thunder asked.

“Yeah, a little bit. I didn’t sleep that well last night.” Spear replied.

“I didn’t either actually. Dashie kept waking me up with text messages.” Thunder replied.

“*Purring sounds* Ooh, sounds like somepony is in loooove.” Spear chuckled.

“Oh stop it, Spear, you know very well that me and Dashie have been dating for 8 years.” Thunder replied, slightly ticked off.

“Hahaha I know, I’m just messin’ with ya bro.” Spear replied, still chuckling slightly.

Spear then returned to his stern and motionless state, as did Thunderblast.

After a few hours, they then notice that three stallions, all at different times, continue passing by them, each time looking over at the two guards. Spear and Thunder become suspicious of them, and Thunder goes up to confront one of them.

“Excuse me sir, is there a problem here?” Thunder asked in a serious tone.

“No sir, just admiring the beautiful Canterlot scenery. Why, is there a problem with that?” The unicorn stallion replied.

“No sir, it’s just, you constantly walk by us, looking at us every time. Is there something wrong?” Thunder replied.

“Look, if you have a problem with tourists, then you should just leave me alone, go back over there, and continue being a statue.” The unicorn replied back, turning around and trotting away.

“Excuse me?” Thunder asked, trotting up behind the unicorn. “You have no right to talk to a guard like that. Spear, come over here an-.”

The unicorn then turned around, and threw a punch at Thunder, knocking him down, before running away.

“HEY! COME BACK HERE!” Spear yelled, running after the unicorn, helping Thunder up on the way. “You alright man?”

“Yeah I’m fine.” Thunder replied, moving his crooked helmet back into a neat position on his head.

The two chased the unicorn down 3 city blocks before he turned down a dark alley, which was a huge mistake, because it was a dead-end alley.

“CRAP!” The unicorn yelled, sliding to a stop at the end of the alley.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Spear asked, slowly approaching the unicorn alongside Thunderblast.

“You two, stay back, and nopony will get hurt.” The unicorn said to the two guards.

“You would actually have the guts to hurt two guards? Watch out, we got a badass here.” Thunder joked.

“Hehe. Okay enough with the jokes.” Spear said, pulling a pair of hoofcuffs out from his armor pouch. “You are coming with us.” Spear said to the unicorn, still slowly approaching him.

“I SAID STAY BACK!” The unicorn yelled, backing away from Spear into the wall at the end of the alley.

Spear then finally got up to the unicorn’s face, putting the hoofcuffs onto his hooves.

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” The unicorn said to Spear.

“Of course I do, you don’t know what YOU’RE doing, talking then attacking a royal guard.” Spear replied.

Then, when they aren’t looking, another unicorn stallion and a pegasus stallion trot up behind Thunder.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked the pegasus stallion in a serious tone.

Thunder turned around to face the two. “Stand back sirs, there’s an arrest in progress.”

The other unicorn then threw a devastating punch to Thunder’s cheek, which threw him into the side of a dumpster.

“OW.” Thunder yelled, rubbing his cheek. “WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?” He yelled at the two, getting back up to face the unicorn.

The unicorn then picked Thunder up by his neck, and threw him into Spear.

“Agh… What the hell?!” Spear said, with Thunder slowly getting off of him.

The unicorn, who Spear just arrested, breaks the hoofcuffs without trying that hard, then he goes to join the other two stallions towards the other end of the alley, all grinning evilly.

“Like I said, you don’t know what you’re doing.” Said the unicorn, slowly approaching Thunder and Spear, who are now backed against the wall, shaking like leaves in the wind.

“W-who are you?” Thunder stuttered, scared out of his mind.

The pegasus then ran up to Thunder, punching his jaw hard enough to throw his helmet off of him. “SHUT IT GUARD!” he yelled.

Thunder yelps from the punch, now laying on his side on the ground.

The other two stallions then trot up to Spear and Thunder, the pegasus punching both of them hard enough to knock them out. The two black out, and the stallions drag them away, somehow not getting noticed by innocent bystanders.

SNEAK PEEK: Chapter 2 – The Rescue

A few hours after Thunder and Spear were knocked out, just after sunset, the two finally wake up.

“Ugh…” Thunder moaned, vision slowly clearing up. When he looks around, he tries to get up, only to realize he’s tied to the table he is on, his friend Spear tied to a chair across the room.

“What the…” Spear said realizing what’s going on. “THUNDER?!”

“Over here Spear!” Thunder yelled back at him.

Spear looks over to Thunder in shock. “What’s going on?!” Spear then struggles to get free, but nothing works.

Thunder also struggles, but have no results aswell.

Then, two of the three stallions who knocked them out trot in, carrying a guard in Dark Blue armor, not yellow, meaning he is a night guard.

“LET ME GO!” Yelled the guard, struggling to untie himself.

The pegasus laughed, and throws him onto a table next to Thunder, tying him to it.

“Night Shadow?! How did you get here?” Thunder asked the frightened night guard.

The night guard, name being Night Shadow, then looks over to Thunder.

Chapter 2 - The Rescue

A few hours after Thunder and Spear were knocked out, just after sunset, the two finally wake up.

“Ugh…” Thunder moaned, vision slowly clearing up. When he looks around, he tries to get up, only to realize he’s tied to the table he is on, his friend Spear tied to a chair across the room.

“What the…” Spear said realizing what’s going on. “THUNDER?!”

“Over here Spear!” Thunder yelled back at him.

Spear looks over to Thunder in shock. “What’s going on?!” Spear then struggles to get free, but nothing works.

Thunder also struggles, but have no results aswell.

Then, two of the three stallions who knocked them out trot in, carrying a guard in Dark Blue armor, not yellow, meaning he is a night guard.

“LET ME GO!” Yelled the guard, struggling to untie himself.

The pegasus laughed, and throws him onto a table next to Thunder, tying him to it.

“Night Shadow?! How did you get here?” Thunder asked the frightened night guard.

The night guard, name being Night Shadow, looks over to Thunder.

“Thunder?! SPEAR?! What the hell is going on?!” asked the scared guard.

“Don’t ask me.” Spear groaned.

Then, an earth pony with a light brown coat and an auburn mane trots in.

“Ah, you’re up.” Said the earth pony, with an evil grin on his face.

“Umm… Could somepony explain what is going on, and why we are here?” Thunder asked, extremely confused.

The earth pony then trots up to Thunder, and grabs his wing, slowly twisting it.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH STOP!!!!!!!!!” screamed Thunder, in tremendous pain.

“You want me to keep going?” asked the earth pony. “Then shut up with the questions.” He then lets go of Thunder’s wing, and trots over to Night Shadow. “Ah, Night Shadow. How great of you to join your friends. Remember, uh, back in 2010? When you arrested my friends after robbing that bank?”

“Yes.. Yes I do Goldbar… I was fresh out of training too..” Night replied.

“And now look at you… Tied up with your friends… Such a shame you three won’t make it out alive…” Goldbar said to the three, before walking over to a table, then walking back with a knife in his hoof. “Now, I’m not going to kill any of you……yet……I’m just going to torture you… The torturing of not one, but THREE guards, especially two of Shining Armor’s best guards is enough to make Equestria cower before me, which is also part of the master plan.”

“Master plan? What master plan?!” Thunder nervously asked.

“Oh, look at that, the little guard wants to know.” He then trots up to Thunder, and opens up one of his wings, and shoves his knife into it, nailing it to the table.

“GAAAAAH.” Thunder hissed in pain, then struggling to get free from the ropes.

Goldbar then twisted the knife in Thunder’s wing, making it hurt even more.

“AAAHH STOP IT!!” Thunder screamed, begging Goldbar to take the knife out.

“I don’t see why I need to, Thunder.” replied Goldbar, twisting the knife even more.

“H-how do you know my….n-name?” Thunder weakly asked.

“Many ponies know your name, Thunder. You’re one of Shining Armor’s best guards, why wouldn’t anypony know you? You’re also the stallion that stopped my friends back in 1996. It’s a shame your dad isn’t here to help you now.” replied Goldbar, ripping the knife out of Thunder’s wing.

“Wh-why are you doing this to us?” Spear asked.

“Because, I can. I will make sure all three of you are dead by tomorrow morning. No questions asked. Shadow Blaze, Dark Bolt, keep an eye on them.” Goldbar said to the unicorn and pegasus stallions, trotting out the door.

“Yes sir.” Said the two stallions, looking over to the three guards with evil grins.

Night Shadow then gulped.

“Oh yeah, if they try anything funny, kill them. In case they don’t, kill them anyways tomorrow morning.” Said Goldbar, trotting back into the room, then back out the door.

“Yes sir. We will sir.” Said Dark Bolt the pegasus stallion.

After a couple of hours, the three lose all hope in getting rescued.

“Well guys… It looks like it ends here… *sigh*” said a slightly depressed Thunderblast.

“It can’t… They have to be looking for us….” replied a nervous Night Shadow.

“Just accept it Night. They aren’t coming for us…” said Spear.

The three then decide to tell jokes and talk about their best times, and worst, now that they know that they won’t get out alive.

“So then, I was walking into the hallway, then I-.”

Right when Night Shadow was telling them a story, there’s a loud explosion, and dust fills the room.

“What…*cough*… the freak?!” Spear said in shock.

When the dust cleared, a tan unicorn stallion with a brown mane and a black tuxedo on runs into the room, and starts untying the three.

“Are you three alright??” asked the stallion.

“We are now..” Spear replied

“Thank you.. *cough* ..for coming for us…” said Thunder, still coughing from the dust.

“Come on, we need to get out of here.” Said the unicorn.

The unicorn then leads Thunder, Spear, and Night out of the room and upstairs, only to be greeted by another earth pony.

“Going somewhere?” Said the earth pony, aiming a gun at their faces.

The unicorn then pulls out a whip, and he makes it wrap around the earth pony’s hoof, throwing the gun out of it, and the pony into a wall.

“AAAAAH.” Screamed the earth pony just before slamming into the wall.

“This way!” The unicorn shouted, pointing to another doorway.

When they enter the room, they are stopped by four more pegasus stallions with guns.

“End of the line for you, Con Mane!” said one of the pegasi.

“Oh I don’t think so.” Said the unicorn, pulling a taser out of his pouch, and stunning all four of them at once.

“WOAH.” Yelled a shocked Thunderblast.

“That……was……AWWWEEEESOME!!” said Night Shadow, smiling from what the unicorn just did.

“Ah it was nothing. Come on.” The unicorn replied, running over to a door and outside the warehouse they are in, then he presses a button on his watch, and a black car drives up in front of them. “Get in!” he shouted, waving his hoof for them to get in.

Thunder, Spear, and Night run up to the car, admiring it with their jaws dropped.

“Woahohoho! Where did you get this car? I thought cars weren't used anymore!” asked Spear.

“Doesn’t matter right now. Get in!” he said.

They all get into the car, and it drives off at a high speed, then they drive towards the edge of the city, being chased by more stallions.

The unicorn then looked in his mirror. “Oh no…”

“What? What is it?” Asked Thunder.

“They’re following us.” Replied the unicorn.

“Who is?!” Spear replied, peeking his head out the window, then ducking back in as a bullet flies past him. “WOAH.”

“Just keep your head in the car, and hang on!” The unicorn said, stepping down on the pedal to go faster.

The other ponies chasing the four soon catch up to them, and start to shoot.

“CRAP!” The unicorn said, looking into his mirror just before it gets shot out.

“Why are they chasing us?!” asked Night Shadow.

“They want you three. I’ll explain it all later. For now, you, grey, take the wheel.” Said the unicorn.

“What?! Why?” Thunder responded.

“Just drive.” he replied, just before teleporting away.

Thunder then franticly took the wheel, while the unicorn teleported next to one of the ponies in the cars behind him.

“Surprise.” He said smiling.

“What the..?!” the pony said in surprise, just before getting pushed out of the car.

The unicorn teleported onto the roof of another car, planting a small device on the roof, blowing the car to pieces, and sending the unicorn flying onto the hood of another car, hanging on for dear life.

“Lookie, lookie. Lil’ Con Mane thinks he can stop us.” Said another unicorn driving the car, then pulling out a pistol. “See you in hell.” He said, about to pull the trigger.

“Maybe later.” He replied, just before he planted another device, which covered the windshield in oil.

“AAAH!” the pony screamed, losing control of the car, causing it to turn and flip over, the tan unicorn teleporting away just in time.

“Where’d he go?” Thunder asked, still driving.

“Boo.” The unicorn said, now sitting next to Thunder.

“What the?!” Thunder said.

“They shouldn’t be following us anymore. Keep driving, we need to get to Manehattan.” The unicorn replied

“Woah woah woah, Manehattan? Why?” Thunder asked.

“Don’t ask, just drive.” The unicorn replied.

“No, we need some answers.” said Spear. “Who are you, who were they, why were they following us, and why the hell are we going to Manehattan?”

“Ugh. My name is Con Mane.” He answered.

“CON MANE?! The secret agent from the movies?” Night Shadow asked.

“Maybe…” he replied.

“Still though, why are we going to Manehattan?” Thunder asked.

“I need to get you three into witness protection, they are looking for you.” Con Mane replied.

“Heck no, we can defend ourselves!” Night said to the unicorn.

“Like you defended yourselves when you got kidnapped?” he replied.

“….Good point….” Night said back.

Not long later, after they’ve left the industrial part of Canterlot, Con Mane asks Thunder to pull over.

“Why are we stopping here? I thought you wanted to go to Manehattan.” Thunder said.

“I do.. But I can’t bring you with me..” he replied, letting the three out of the car.

He then throws out a small metal ball in front of Spear, which releases a purple gas, causing the three to fall asleep on the sidewalk, then driving off.

Chapter 3 - Who is Con Mane?

“Thunder….” Said a mysterious voice. “Wake up….”

“Huh?” Thunder tried to look around, but his vision was too blurry to make out anything. When his vision cleared, he was looking up at Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guards.

“Thunder.. Wake up!” Shining shouted to Thunder.

Thunder slowly got up, rubbing his head.

“What happened?” Thunder asked.

“I was driving by and I saw you three asleep on the sidewalk. I had the whole guard looking for you three. Where were you?” Shining replied.

“I don’t remember… It was all a blur..” Thunder said back.

“Not sure if I believe you, but alright. Come on, let’s get to the outpost. All of you.” Shining said, getting back into his chariot, Thunder, Spear and Night also getting in.

While riding through the city on the way to the outpost on the southwest edge of the city, close to the castle, Shining proceeds to question the three.

“So.. What happened that made you fall asleep on the sidewalk? Were you all drinking?” Shining asked.

“Sir, you know I don’t drink, and no, we were not drinking.” Thunder replied.

“Oh, okay then. What WERE you doing?” Shining asked again.

“Uhhh….It’s kinda hard to explain sir…” Spear answered.

“I’m asking you nicely to tell me. What were you all doing before you fell asleep on the sidewalk?” Shining asked for a third time, only to receive no response from either of them.

After arriving at work, they all split up for their posts. Spear, guarding the castle entrance like yesterday, Thunderblast on a street patrol, and Night Shadow, went off to guard Princess Luna’s room, who was asleep at the time.

Nearly 12 hours later, the three meet up at Donut Joe’s donut shop in Downtown Canterlot for donuts and some coffee. Instead of the normal conversation they usually have, they talk about what happened the night before.

“So you two… Who do you think this ‘Con Mane’ guy is?” Thunder asked, eating a donut.

“I already told you, he’s that stallion from the movies! Although, he was an earth pony, not a unicorn.” Night Shadow responded.

“Okay, so he’s from the movies. But, why would HE rescue us, and not the royal guard? Did they not know we got kidnapped?” Spear said.

“I don’t know… I’m afraid to bring it up to Shining, because then he’ll think we kept this from him the whole time.” Thunder nervously stated.

“We ARE keeping it from him, Thunder. We can’t keep the secret for long though. We need to let him know at some point.” Night replied.

Meanwhile, the shop owner, Donut Joe himself, was closely listening while cleaning off the counter, out of the guards’ attention.

“Still though, who could Con Mane be?” Spear said, who was sitting at an angle where he could look over Night’s shoulder and see Donut Joe, still cleaning the counter.

The other two then turn their attention to Donut Joe, closely eyeing him without Joe noticing, then turn back to Spear.

Thunder, however, didn’t lose his train of thought that Donut Joe looked like the stallion that rescued them the night before.

After a little while, the Con Mane talks settled and they started a new discussion before leaving to continue their shifts. Shining Armor didn’t like that they never really answered his question, so he secretly switched their hours so they have night shifts as well, something Night Shadow was used to, as he shares bat pony blood.

Chapter 4 - Donut Joe Undercover

4 days after the incident involving Con Mane, things have quieted down a lot in Canterlot…………………too quiet……….

“Ugh…” grumbled Thunder, unable to keep a straight face while on duty.

“What’s wrong, Thunder?” Spear asked, also somewhat unable to keep his straight face.

“I feel sick to my stomach…” Thunder replied.

“Thunder… If you feel sick, you know you have the authority to tell Shining Armor that you need to go home and rest.” Spear said back.

“Not that kind of ‘sick to my stomach’ Spear, I mean, I can’t stand it. I’m telling you, Donut Joe looks EXACTLY like Con Mane.” Thunder angrily replied.

“Thunder… Me and Night have told you many times.. If Donut Joe was really Con Mane, why would he also be working in a donut shop?” Spear said.

“Why WOULDN’T he work in a donut shop? It’s a perfect cover. It’s to protect his true identity.” Thunder stated.

“Maybe….. Look, if you are uncomfortable about it, why don’t you just ask him in private?” Spear suggested.

“Or, we could spy on him to see if he does anything suspicious.” Thunder replied.

“Thunder… You can’t spy on an innocent pony because you think he’s some super high tech secret agent.” Spear said back.

“Who said I would be the only one doing it?” Thunder said back, smirking.

“Who said me and Night Shadow would join you?” Spear replied.

“Touché.” Thunder said back, admitting defeat.

After their shift, Night Shadow flies in for his night shift, while Thunder and Spear head back home.

“Psst. Spear.” Whispered a familiar voice.

“What the. Thunder?!” Spear said, turning on the lamp on his nightstand.

“Hi.” Thunder said to the slightly frightened stallion.

“How did you get in my house?” Spear asked suspiciously.

“You left the door unlocked.” Thunder answered.

“I always leave my door unlocked when I’m home… Ponies know not to mess with me because I’m a guard… Now what do you want Thunder?” Spear said back.

“We’re gonna watch Donut Joe closely.” Thunder replied.

“Uh, no I’m not, and neither are you. Go back home.” Spear said back, turning off his lamp and laying back down.

Spear then felt a set of hooves grab his hind legs and yank him out from under the blanket and onto the floor.

“WAAH!” Spear yelped. “LET GO OF ME THUNDER!” he yelled, trying to kick his legs as he’s dragged out of his house and down the steps, head bouncing off every step.

Thunder continues to drag Spear down the street until he’s had enough.

“THUNDER!” Spear yelled, yanking his legs free and getting back up, dusting himself off in the process. “What is your problem?! Just let it go already!”

“I can’t Spear. I want to know if Donut Joe is hiding any secrets.” Thunder replied.

“THEN GO AND ASK HIM IN PRIVATE!” Spear yelled. “Me and Night are NOT spying on an innocent pony because our crazy friend wants us to.” Spear then turned around and started to walk back home.

“Is that how you see me? Your crazy friend?” Thunder asked, no longer in a good mood.

Spear then turned back and faced Thunder.

“No… I didn’t mean it like that, Thunder… I meant…..Y-you know…. Crazy as in….funny….” Spear replied, feeling bad.

Thunder then looked at Spear, not sure if he wanted to believe him or not, then he sheds a tear.

“Are you sure Spear?” Thunder quietly said back. “You know you always have the authority to tell me how you feel…”

“Thunder… I never meant it that way… Me and Night like your craziness. We think you’re a funny guy. It’s just, sometimes you tend to act strange, like now. You’re worried about something that really isn’t our business.” Spear stated, still feeling bad for what he said.

“*sigh* I know… It’s not just Con Mane though, I want to know why those stallions kidnapped us, what their master plan is.” Thunder said.

“You’re right… They did say something about a master plan.” Spear replied, putting his hoof on his chin, scratching it.

“I have no idea what it could be… and I’m not sure if I want to know either..” Thunder said.

“Hi guys” said a familiar voice.

The two then turn around to see a dark grey pegasus stallion hanging by his tail from a tree, causing them to jump.

“Night Shadow!” Thunder yelled, while Spear facehoofs.

“So what’s this talk about ‘Master plans’?” Night asked.

“You should remember, when those guys kidnapped us, Goldbar mentioned something about a master plan.” Spear answered.

“Oh, right. That.” Night said back, before doing a flip through the air and landing on his hooves in front of Thunder and Spear.

“Thunder here thinks we should spy on Donut Joe, he still thinks he’s that Con Mane guy.” Spear said.

“You know, I might have to agree with Thunder. They did look very similar. I mean, they both are unicorns, they both have the same hair color, same tail length, even their hooves are both grey.” Night replied to Spear.

“FINALLY!” Thunder said, feeling relieved somepony finally believed him.

“Well, even if he is Con Mane, we still need to figure out what his enemy is planning, and if nessicary, help out.” Spear replied.

“We could also just question Donut Joe, and if he is Con Mane, we can ask him what that whole deal was back there. That’d probably be the best thing to do.” Night said to the two.

The next day, on Spear and Night’s day off, they headed over to the donut shop where they found Donut Joe unlocking the doors to open up.

“Hey there you two.” Donut Joe happily said to Night and Spear.

“Afternoon Joe.” Spear said back.

“Hey, do you mind if we ask you some questions?” Night asked the unicorn stallion.

“Uhh….Sure?” Donut Joe replied.

“It’s gotta be private. Can we maybe go in the back of your shop?” Spear said.

“Certainly.” Joe replied, leading them to the back of his shop.

“Huh, this might work out better than we thought, eh Spear?” Night whispered to Spear.

“Maybe..” Spear whispered back.

“Alright, what was it you wanted to ask?” Donut Joe asked the two.

“Well, a few days ago, we were on duty and we chased a stallion that attacked our friend Thunder down an alley, and we got knocked out and kidnapped by that stallions friends.” Spear explained.

“Oh wow…” Joe said, a bit shocked.

“Yeah, so when we woke up, we were tied to beds and stuff, and after a little while, some guy by the name of Con Mane came and rescued us. Do you, by any chance, know him?” Night asked.

Joe stood there for a moment, thinking of things to say.

“Uh…. No…” He replied, looking quite nervous.

Spear then raised an eyebrow at the unicorn.

“Well, we noticed he looked A LOT like you.” Night said.

Joe again stood there, desperately thinking of something to say.

“I swear I don’t know who this ‘Con Mane’ guy is. You must have me mistaken with somepony else.” Joe replied.

“Maybe… Alright, we’ll be going now. Just thought we’d ask you a few questions. Let’s go, Night.” Spear said, trotting out of the room and shop, Night Shadow following close behind. “See you later, Joe.”

“Alrighty, see you two later.” Joe responded.

Night and Spear then go to Thunder, who is currently on his lunch break.

“Anything?” Thunder asked, taking a sip of apple juice from his family’s farm.

“Nope, he insists he doesn’t know who Con Mane is.” Night replied.

Thunder then facehoofs. “He was just saying that. Everypony makes something up when they’re hiding something.” Thunder said back at them.

“Thunder, what if he is telling the truth? I mean come on..” Spear replied.

“I really don’t think he’s telling the truth, but whatever.” Thunder said back.

Chapter 5 - Spy Business

Over the next two days, things have really slowed down for Thunderblast, Spear, and Night Shadow, other than a couple of diamond store robberies. Finally, Thunderblast was fed up with not having any action.

“Night Shadow?” Thunder called out.

“Yeah?” Night said as he flew in and landed in front of Thunderblast.

“I say now’s the time to spy on Donut Joe. Nothing has been happening. I still want to find out if he’s that Con Mane guy.” Thunder said.

“I don’t know, Thunder. Spear really doesn’t want us to spy on him.” Night replied.

“Tell me, is Spear your father?” Thunder asked.

“No.” Night answered.

“Then why are you following what he says?” Thunder said back.

“Good point. Let’s watch him for the next few days. If nothing happens, we’ll have no choice but to accept that he isn’t Con Mane. Alright?” Night said.

“Okay. Meet me just after my shift tonight by his shop.” Thunder said back.

“Alright. See you later.” Night said, trotting away.

“See you.” Thunder said, returning to his post.

Later that night, just after Thunderblast’s shift ended, Thunder was waiting for Night Shadow at their meet-up point.

“Ugh… Where is he…” Thunder grumbled, looking up at a street clock he was standing under.

He then heard the sounds of hooves quickly moving. “Sorry I’m late, Thunder. I got lectured by Shining Armor.” Night said, running up to Thunder and stopping in front of him.

“It’s alright. You ready?” Thunder asked.

“Yep.” Night replied. “Where are we going to watch him?” he asked.

“From a rooftop. His shop closes in five minutes. Once he leaves, we can follow him, but from a distance so he doesn’t think we’re following him. Alright?” Thunder explained.

“Alright. Lead the way.” Night replied.

Thunderblast took off and flew up to the roof of a four story building across the street from Donut Joe’s shop, Night quickly following him.

After waiting five minutes, the lights shut off to the shop and Donut Joe soon walked out and locked the doors, pulling on them to check if they locked, before trotting down the street, little did he know that he was being followed.

“That’s our queue.” Thunder whispered to Night, slowly and quietly flying down to the street and following Joe from a distance.

The two followed Joe for a whole twenty minutes, before he went up to a house, unlocking the doors, and trotting in.

“Well that was a total bust. He was just heading home.” Night said, turning around and trotting away.

“Hey, it didn’t hurt to see what he was doing. There’s always tomorrow, Night.” Thunder said, following Night.

“Yeah, I guess.” Night said back. “I hope we can get something out of this.”

“I hope so too, because if we don’t we’ll never know who Con Mane is.” Thunder said.

The next three days went along, all with the same result. The two soon began to lose hope that they will find out if he’s really Con Mane.

“Ugh. Thunder, I don’t think we’re going to get ANYTHING out of this.” Night said, sounding frustrated.

“Me neither.” Thunder said, sighing.

The two were on the same rooftop they had started out from every night for the past few nights, they were on their fifth and final night where they would spy on Donut Joe.

Joe followed the same routine; turn off the lights, lock and check the doors, then trot in the same path on his way to his home, oblivious to Thunderblast and Night Shadow behind him. Something was different tonight, however. Instead of following the street, Joe turned down an alley. Thunder assumed it was a shortcut, but Night had a feeling this was something else.

“Well hello there, Donut Joe.” Said the voice of a large tan pegasus stallion, who was just slightly bigger than Thunderblast. He had a scar just above his eye, which was very visible, even from a distance.

The voice startled Joe, who stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to see the pegasus staring at him from down the alley. “What do you want, Scarwings?” he said back, sounding nervous.

Then, another pegasus, this time emerald green, and a dark grey unicorn, jumped out in front of Joe, trapping him in the middle.

“You know damn well what we want.” The unicorn said.

“No, boys, really. I don’t know what you want.” Joe said back.

“We want the amulet back.” Scarwings said to Joe, slowly approaching him.

Joe turned around to face the large pegasus, narrowing his eyes onto his.

“What amulet?” Joe said, acting innocent and smiling at the same time.

The unicorn then threw himself at Joe, hoof aimed out to give him a devastating punch to the head, only to be stopped by Joe grabbing his hoof, and swinging the unicorn above him, and into Scarwings.

Night Shadow and Thunderblast watched in awe from behind a dumpster.

“GIVE US THE AMULET!” The emerald green pegasus yelled, running up to Joe and throwing a punch, Joe moving his head to the side, then grabbing his wing and twisting it. “GAAAAAH” he screamed as he fell to the ground.

“I’d rather not.” Joe said, smirking down at him.

“HOW DARE YOU HURT HIM!” Screamed the unicorn, as he levitated Scarwings off of him, dropping him next to Thunderblast by accident, and running up to attack Joe.

Scarwings looked up and saw Thunderblast and Night Shadow watching the whole thing go on. “Here to help Con Mane, are we?” he said to them, smirking evilly.

“Uh, no. Just watching.” Thunder said, grabbing a trash can lid and smashing it into his face, sending him backwards.

The sound of the trash can lid smacking Scarwing’s face distracted the unicorn enough to focus on Thunder and Night, running back to attack them, while Joe dealt with the other pegasus.

“HEY! Who are you guys?” Joe yelled at them, wrestling the pegasus.

“Long story, Joe.” Night said, who was pinned down by the unicorn.

Thunderblast picked up Scarwings by his tail, and swung him around like a helicopter rotor, then into the unicorn, knocking him off of Night.

While the two struggled to get back to their hooves, Thunder and Night helped Joe take out the other pegasus, hoofcuffing him to a pipe.

“I could have handled them, you know!” Joe said angrily to the two.

“We still helped, YA KNOW!” Thunder said back.

Joe sighed. “You’re right, and thank you for that. Now, you two should probably get out of here.” He said, turning around and continuing down the alley.

“Hey, wait!” Night said, trotting up next to Joe, Thunder close behind. “Just tell us who you are already, Con Mane.”

Joe’s eyes shrunk some at this, looking back at Night, before continuing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said.

“Yes you do. Admit it already.” Thunder said, trotting on Joe’s other side.

“Fine. You know what?” Joe said, stopping and turning around to face them. “Fine. You got me. I am Con Mane. I was the guy that saved you three. There, you happy? Now go.” He said, turning back around and trotting faster down the alley.

“Wait, stop.” Thunder said, coming up next to him again. “What is going on, Con Man-.”

“Call me Joe.” He angrily said.

“Okay… What is going on, Joe? Who are these ponies?” Thunder asked.

“You don’t need to know that. You’ll spill it out to everypony.” Joe replied.

“No we won’t, we promise!” Night said.

Joe didn’t reply for a couple more minutes, leading them out of the alley and onto an empty street where he looked around, and turned to face them.

“Fine, but not right now. I want you two to meet me at my shop tomorrow at noon. I’ll explain everything.” Joe said, before trotting down the street.

Thunderblast and Night Shadow watched him disappear down the street.

“Well… Now we know.” Thunder said to Night, grinning.

“Yeah… I feel bad for following him and asking so many questions though.” Night said, who wasn’t smiling at all.

“Oh come on, if we didn’t follow him, for all we know those ponies could have killed him!” Thunder said back.

“I guess you’re right… But still.” Night replied.

“I know. But hey, at least we’ll know what’s going on tomorrow. See you tomorrow, Night.” Thunder said, turning around and flying away.

“See you…” Night said back, lowering his head some, then slowly walking down the street.

One long and sleepless night later, Thunderblast and Night Shadow sat down outside Donut Joe’s shop, waiting for Joe to come out.

“So… Do you think he’ll actually tell us?” Night quietly said to Thunder.

“It sure sounds like it.” Thunder replied, also talking quietly.

One door to Joe’s shop opened, and the tan unicorn stallion trotted out to Thunder and Night.

“So… You guys really want to know what’s going on?” Joe asked them.

“Yes, we would.” Night replied.

“Okay… But we can’t talk here.” Joe said, looking in different directions.

“Where do we talk then?” Thunder asked.

“Come with me.” Joe replied, leading them into the shop and to the back.

Donut Joe trotted around the back room, and seemed to be looking for something. “I can never keep track of where that damn button is.” He said, looking in every nook and cranny. “Ah. Here it is.” He said, moving a box and pushing a red button, which made a small hole open in the floor with a staircase.

“Woah.” Night said as he watched the staircase open up.

“Follow me guys.” Joe said, trotting down the stairs, Thunder and Night close behind. The staircase lead into a very long and straight tunnel, which took them under the streets of Canterlot.

“Where does this go?” Night asked.

“You’ll see.” Joe said, giving out a small smile.

It was a whole 15 minutes before the tunnel ended at an elevator, which went further down into the ground. Joe pressed the button, and a minute later, the elevator doors opened, and the three got in.

After another minute, the doors opened to reveal a large high-tech lab, and a master computer.

“Welcome back, Con Mane.” The computer spoke in a mare’s voice.

Joe trotted in, Night Shadow and Thunderblast slowly walking behind him, looking around. Suddenly, a robotic arm with a gun dropped from the ceiling, and aimed a red dot onto Thunder’s chest, scaring the two.

“Easy, they’re with me.” Joe said, trotting back towards them, now wearing a fancy black suit.

The robotic arm raised back to the ceiling, causing Thunder and Night to catch their breath.

“So. Where were we?” Joe, now Con Mane, said. “Ah, yes. But before we start, please, have a seat.” He said, pointing to two chairs at the center of his lair.

Thunder and Night took a seat, Con Mane sitting down across the table from them, then pressing a button causing metal straps to come up and wrap around their hooves, trapping them.

“Are these nessicary?” Thunder asked, struggling some.

“Just want to be safe.” Con Mane said, smirking at them. “Now, what is it you want to know?” he asked.

“Well… That night when you saved us. Why did those ponies kidnap us?” Night asked.

“Those ponies… They’re working on a huge plan to throw Equestria into chaos, and most likely take it over.” Con Mane said. “Their plan is to either impeach or assassinate the princesses, and by doing that, they want to kidnap and kill royal guards, which is why they kidnapped you guys. I was assigned to steal the Alicorn Amulet from the Canterlot Museum of Natural History, and it’s part of their plan. That’s why those ponies last night tried to steal it. If they get their hooves on it, there’s no stopping them.” He explained.

“You mean the thing that Trixie used on Ponyville that one time?” Thunderblast asked.

“Yes, exactly.” Con Mane said, using his magic to levitate it over to the table, where he let it hover above the table so they could get a good look at it. “Here it is. The one and only Alicorn Amulet. It’s in safe hooves….for now…” he said.

“You know… We could always help you foil their plan.” Thunder said, offering to help.

“Yeah, we could help… That is… If you want the help…” Night chimed in.

“Sorry boys, I work alone.” Con Mane said, walking over to a small glass tube, and putting the amulet inside of it, then sealing it.

“Come on… You needed help last night with those three ponies, you really think you can take down more of them?” Night said.

“Yeah, but I didn’t have my gear then. I was a sitting duck.” Con Mane said, sitting back down across from them.

“It wouldn’t matter. Fancy gadgets can’t save you all the time.” Thunder said.

“Sorry. I work alone.” Con Mane said, getting back up and going over to his computer and typing on it, leaving Thunderblast and Night Shadow still strapped to the chairs.

“You know, you could at least let us go!” Night said, frustrated.

Con Mane then pressed a button, and the straps went back into the chairs, freeing them.

“Come on, Night. He doesn’t need our help.” Thunder said, walking back to the elevator.

Night Shadow stood there for a moment, watching Con Mane type onto his futuristic computer, before turning around and walking towards Thunder, who was in the elevator holding the doors open. “Good luck, Con Mane.” He said, getting into the elevator.

Con Mane stopped typing and turned and looked at him, almost as if he didn’t want them to go, but he knew he couldn’t let them help him. Con Mane then continued typing on his computer. After that, Thunderblast and Night Shadow went their own ways, after walking for 15 minutes down the tunnel, not making one peep.

Chapter 6 - I Work Alone

"What do you mean you told two royal guards?!" asked a stallion, covered in darkness while on a video call with Con Mane.

"Sir, they were asking so many questions. I had to tell them." Con Mane replied.

"You could have just jeopardized the whole operation. You know that, right?" The stallion said.

"I know. But sir, with all do respect, they HELPED me two nights ago. I had no weapons, I could have easily been taken down." Con Mane said back.

"Ugh." The stallion said, facehoofing. "You better pray that these two guards don't spill the beans, or you're done for." The stallion said in a threatening voice.

"Don't worry about it, director. I'll watch them closely. If they say one thing that is related to me or the mission, i'll kill them." Con Mane said, pressing a button, causing the call to end and his screen to return to normal. "Ugh." he groaned as he sat down in a chair.

Meanwhile, Thunderblast sat down with Spear, eating their lunch during their break.

"So, anyways, have you and Night Shadow calmed down about the whole 'Donut Joe' thing?" Spear asked.

"Uh. About that..." Thunderblast said back, awkwardly smiling.

Spear then raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?" he asked.

"We kinda...spied on him." Thunder replied in a nervous tone.

"Are you kidding me? I told you two to leave him alone!" Spear yelled, standing up.

"We couldn't help ourselves, Spear. But i'll tell you what, we got him to confess." Thunder said.

"Confess what?" Spear said, raising an eyebrow again.

"He IS Con Mane." Thunder said. "He-."

Spear then reached over the table and put his hoof over Thunder's mouth to stop him from talking. "Shh! Talk quieter so nopony can hear us." He whispered.

Thunder nodded and Spear took his hoof off of his mouth.

"He told me and Night everything. He even brought us to his lair or whatever it's called." Thunder whispered to Spear.

"Are you sure you didn't just dream this all up?" Spear whispered back.

"I'm pretty sure." Thunder said back.

"Look, I don't want you to tell me right now, because we're in public." Spear said, looking at his surroundings. "Meet me at the castle gardens in a little while. We'll talk there."

"Okay. Good idea, no one ever goes through there." Thunder whispered.

An hour and a half later, Thunderblast and Spear met in the castle gardens, out of anypony's sight.

"So. What did 'Con Mane' say?" Spear asked.

"Well, first, he strapped us down to chairs for safety reasons, then he told me and Night that those ponies that kidnapped us a little while ago, apparently they're in a plan to assassinate the princesses and take over Equestria." Thunder explained.

Spear looked at Thunder for a moment and chuckled. "You're kidding...right?" He said. "They can't get to the princesses even if they wanted to."

"That's the thing, they're capturing and killing royal guards so they can get to them, which is why they kidnapped us." Thunder said back.

"Hmm. That does kind of explain the royal guards that have been going missing over the months." Spear said, putting his hoof to his chin. "But still, why do they want to assassinate the princesses?" he asked.

"I don't know. He didn't say, but he did say that they want the Alicorn Amulet, you know, the thing that Trixie used to take over Ponyville that one time." Thunder said.

"The Alicorn Amulet, eh?" Spear said. "It got stolen from the museum a month ago."

"That's because Con Mane has it. He showed us it while we were with him." Thunder replied. "The night he told us who he was, he was attacked by three ponies, they all wanted it. I'm guessing Goldbar's stallions. We helped him fight them off, then he told us who he was."

"So. He told you that he really is Con Mane, and what those guys are planning. Anything else?" Spear asked.

"Well, we asked if we could help him foil their plan, but he said he works alone." Thunder said back. "I really want to help him though, he can't fight off all of them at once."

"Thunder, you should just leave him alone. If he works alone, he works alone." Spear said.

"I know... It's just, don't you think we SHOULD help him? I mean, our job is to protect the princesses and Canterlot, and we aren't doing that if we don't help him." Thunder replied.

"Yeah, but we could end up messing something up. It IS our job to protect the princesses and Canterlot, and it always will be as long as we're guards, but we shouldn't interfere with his mission." Spear said back.

"Ugh.. Fine." Thunder said.

Meanwhile, Con Mane was sneaking his way through a warehouse, trying to get some more intel on Goldbar's plan. He quietly made his way through air conditioning vents, and into a large room which was full of large crates and containers.

"Damn it. Where is it?" Con Mane said, looking down at a small tracking device, which was malfunctioning for some strange reason. "Ugh. Machines." he said, putting it into his pocket, then quietly walking on a steel bar just under the ceiling, looking down onto the floor.

He then heard familiar voices echo through the rafters, and he looked down to see Scarwings, slightly bandaged up, aswell as the ponies that kidnapped Thunderblast, Spear, and Night Shadow, aswell as the emerald green pegasus and grey unicorn.

"So, here it is." Scarwings said, pulling a white sheet off of a large machine. "The Amulator." he said, laughing evilly.

The other ponies stopped and stared at him for a moment.

"That's what it's called?" The unicorn laughed. "The Amulator? That's the stupidest name i've ever heard of." He said, still laughing.

"The amulator?" Con Mane whispered to himself, grabbing his camera and taking some pictures of it. "Fudge. I need better pictures." he said, before tying a rope to one of his hooves, and the other end to the bar, before dropping down close enough to get better pictures, but high enough where he can't be seen.

"So. What does it do?" The green pegasus asked.

"Right now, I don't completely know. I designed it to use the alicorn amulet's magic to fire concentrated beams onto objects and/or ponies, and blast them apart in just one single beam. I'm sure this will be enough to get the princesses attention." Scarwings replied.

Con Mane listened closely, eyes shrinking at what Scarwings said. "Blow things apart?" he whispered to himself, oblivious to his hoof, which is slowly slipping out of the rope.

"So.. Where's the amulet?" The grey unicorn asked.

"That's the problem. We don't have it yet." Scarwings answered.

"Are you kidding me? You don't have it yet?" The unicorn said.

"No. We do know who DOES have it though." Scarwings replied.

"Who?" An earth pony asked.

"Con Mane." Scarwings said back.

Then, all of a sudden, Con Mane looked up and saw his hoof had slipped free. "Uh oh." he said, eyes shrinking to the size of pins, before falling on the ground in front of them all.

"Well well well, look who's here." Scarwings said, smirking.

Con Mane stood up, dusting himself off, then looking up. "Oh crud."

Chapter 7 - Con Somepony Help?

"Oh crud." Con Mane said as he stood up and looked around him, as numerous ponies slowly closed in on him.

"Well, look who dropped in." Scarwings said, smirking. "Get him, boys!"

At that moment, the ponies that Con Mane faced two nights ago, as well as the ponies that kidnapped Thunderblast and his friends, charged towards him.

"Bring it on." Con Mane said as he got his game face on.

The emerald green pegasus threw himself at Con Mane to dogpile him, only to get sent flying into some wooden crates by a blast of magic. Just then, Con Mane whipped out a pistol and shot the dark grey unicorn in his hoof, causing him to collapse to the ground and him to scream in pain.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY FROM US, CON MANE!" An earth pony shouted as he ran up behind Con Mane, only to get bucked in the face.

Con Mane smirked back at the earth pony, still holding the pistol in his magic. When he turned back to face the others, he was tackled by Scarwings, gun being knocked out of his magic field. "GAH." he screamed.

Scarwings continued to pin him down, before headbutting him and knocking him unconcious.

"Ouch..." Scarwings said, putting his hoof up to his head.

"You alright boss?" The grey unicorn asked.

"I'm fine. Just, remind me not to headbutt him again. It hurts him AND me." Scarwings replied.

Elsewhere, Thunderblast, Spear, and Night Shadow were playing poker in a room made for off-duty royal guards in the castle, where they can come and relax and talk. Night Shadow, however, was focused on other thoughts, rather than the game going on before his eyes.

"You alright, Shadow?" Spear asked, looking down at the cards in his hooves.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure." Night replied, snapping out of his trance of thought.

"You sure?" Thunderblast asked.

"Yeah, i'm sure." Night said back, looking down at his cards.

Thunderblast and Spear looked at each other then to Night Shadow.

"You seem pretty distant, what's going on?" Spear asked.

Night looked up at them, not looking as serious as he usually appears. "It's Con Mane, I can't help but think that he DOES need our help." he said.

"Night, you heard him. He doesn't need our help." Thunderblast said, returning his attention to the game.

"But he looked....worried." Night said. "Didn't you see his face when he walked away from us?"

"No, because he was facing away from us, besides, how could you tell he was worried?" Thunder said back.

"Bat pony senses." Night replied.

"Oh come on, Night. We all know your bat pony senses aren't that strong." Spear said.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Night asked, perking up even more.

"What we mean is, your senses as you call them, are just feelings. That's how you think he feels, it's most likely not how he actually feels." Thunder answered, still looking at his cards.

All Night Shadow did after that, was sigh, then he put down his cards and walked out of the room without saying one more thing. Spear and Thunderblast watched him walk out, then looked at each other and shrugged, before continuing their game.

Outside, Night Shadow walked down the dark lamp-lit street facing down, but he was focused on his thoughts, rather than to where he was going. Right when he was engulfed by his thoughts, there was a loud glass shattering sound, followed by the sounds of a store alarm. When he looked up, he saw the ponies that they fought in the alley running away from a shop, as well as the store owner running out to the storefront and yelling for them to come back. Without another thought, Night was soon following them closely.

"HEY! COME BACK HERE!" Night yelled, turning the stallions' attention to him.

"SPLIT UP GUYS!" The green pegasus commanded, and the three split up, the earth pony going down an alley, the pegasus flying away, leaving the dark grey unicorn with the stolen goods on his own. He was chased by Night Shadow into an alley, where he climbed up a ladder to the building rooftops, and he jumped across them, Night Shadow flying close behind. Finally, he reached the end. The unicorn slid to a stop at the edge of a rooftop which dropped down to street level, which was four stories down.

"Nowhere to run now." Night Shadow said, landing behind the unicorn and slowly approaching him.

The unicorn dropped the bag and slowly backed away, closer and closer to the edge. "P-please. Don't hurt me." he pleaded.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't." Night said.

The unicorn's hind leg slipped off the edge, and he stopped before going any further, then looking back up at Night, eyeing him closely.

"Wait a minute.... Night Shadow?!" The unicorn said, sounding stunned.

"How do you know my name?" Night asked.

"It's me... Sharpblade." He said, smiling a little.

Night Shadow's eyes widened, and he entered a flashback of him and the unicorn few months before.

"Don't worry bro, i've got it." Sharpblade said, running into a bank surrounded by police officers and royal guards.

"Nopony moves, and nopony gets hurt!" Threatened an earth pony with a mask over his face, aiming a machine gun at a few ponies who had their hooves over their heads, laying on the ground like they were ordered to.

"Put the gun down, and you won't get hurt." Sharpblade said to the stallion, standing by the door, slowly approaching the earth pony.

The crook then held up a remote with a button, and turned a knob which made small black boxes around the shop turn on and flash red. "If you come any closer, I will blow us all to hell." he threatened.

Sharpblade stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes onto the stallion. "What is it you want?" he asked.

"I want what I came for." The earth pony said.

"And that is...?" Sharpblade asked.

"One million bits." The earth pony replied.

"Fine, come with me. I'll get your bits." Sharpblade said, walking around the earth pony, and leading him to the back of the building to a large vault.

"Open the door." The earth pony said, aiming his gun at Sharpblade's head.

"I don't know the combination." Sharpblade said back.

"You're a unicorn. You can still open it." The earth pony said.

Sharpblade lit up his horn, and put his strength into his magic, forcing the door open and revealing a large room flooded with bits.

The earth pony lowered his gun and ran in, filling a bag with the money he came for, then walking back out.

Sharpblade followed him into the main room in the bank, not knowing what was just about to happen.

The earth pony stopped Sharpblade from stepping any further. "You know what, guard? I'll let you go. You helped me out a lot today, but I didn't say you were going to walk out of this shop." He said, holding up the remote which was activated.

"W-what?!" Sharpblade stuttered, hearing a loud beeping sound, then looking around him and seeing the red lights on the bombs flash more frequently.

Outside, the royal guards and police officers ducked for cover, Night Shadow watching in horror.

At that moment, the glass on every building in the area shattered, and the bank exploded into a massive explosion, destroying two other buildings in the process.

Night Shadow watched as the bank, everypony inside, and his friend were blown up.

"GET DOWN!" A royal guard shouted, tackling Night Shadow behind a parked car, and a large piece of debris flew just above them, striking the shop behind them.

Just then, Night Shadow snapped out of his flashback.

"B-but. I saw you die." Night stuttered.

Sharpblade sighed, and came up to Night, resting his hoof on his shoulder. "I thought I was dead too, but when I was pulled out of the rubble and taken to the hospital, I did die, but Scarwings revived me. He put something into my IV which must have jump started my heart. I didn't remember much after that, then he trained me, took care of me, and now this."

Night Shadow slapped his hoof off of his shoulder and backed away slightly. "So now you're robbing stores and serving him? Do you even know what he's planning?" He asked.

"Yes. I do. I don't think it's right either, Night, but I can't bail from him now. I wanted to, but he put a knife to my neck and threatened to kill me if I didn't stick with him." Sharpblade said.

Night Shadow didn't reply to that, but instead, turned his head and looked down.

"Hey, look at me." Sharpblade said. "Look at me."

Night turned and looked at Sharpblade.

"I missed you bro." Sharpblade said, followed by a lung-crushing hug.

"I....missed....you too..." Night said, struggling to breathe.

After the hug, they smiled at each other, happy to see each other again.

Meanwhile, Con Mane finally woke up, vision slowly fading until it was crisp again. When he looked over, he saw his hooves were strapped down to a bed by steel straps. "Ergh..." he struggled, before giving up.

"Ah, you're awake." Scarwings said, walking over to Con Mane.

Con Mane narrowed his eyes onto the pegasus, glaring at him.

"What is it you want, Scarwings?" Con Mane asked, struggling more.

"I've already told you. I want a new Equestria, an Equestria without the princesses rule." Scarwings said.

"You do know what kind of chaos that would throw us into?" Con Mane said.

"Chaos? More like peace. We also wouldn't have a use for the elements of harmony anymore." Scarwings said back, trotting over to a computer with multiple cameras from across Canterlot, as well as some cameras with views of other city skylines.

Con Mane eyed him closely. "No, Scarwings. Without the princesses, there will be nopony to control the sun and moon! It would be eternal day or nigh-."

Scarwings came over to Con Mane, taping his mouth shut. "No there won't, not with this baby." He said, holding up the Alicorn Amulet. "I can't thank you enough for stealing it for me, but you really shouldn't have kept it on you if you want it to be safe."

Con Mane's eyes shrunk, remembering he forgot to put the amulet back in it's unbreakable case back at this lab.

"Now I can finally carry out the plan." Scarwings said. "Say goodbye, Con Mane." he said, flipping a switch, turning on a laser which very slowly burned away a part of the bed Con Mane was strapped to. He struggled and struggled, but nothing worked. He was in deep trouble now.

Chapter 8 - The Search for Con Mane

"Darn it, where is he?" Thunderblast said, frustrated.

"Calm down, Thunder. Night is never on time." Spear said.

"I know, but this is ridiculous." Thunderblast said back. "Whoever he's bringing is taking a really long time."

Thunderblast and Spear had been waiting for over thirty minutes for Night Shadow, who said he was bringing somepony with him.

"Hey guys, sorry we're late." Night said, walking alongside Sharpblade. "This is Sharpblade."

"Umm. Hey." Sharpblade nervously said, wrapping one of his hooves around the other.

Thunder eyed Sharpblade, eyes widening, then out of nowhere, throwing himself at the unicorn.

"YOU'RE THE STALLION THAT WE FOUGHT A FEW NIGHTS AGO." Thunder yelled, pinning Sharpblade down.

Sharpblade yelped, struggling to get back up. "P-please, don't hurt me..." he pleaded, cowering beneath Thunderblast, who was holding a knife at his neck.

"STOP" Night Shadow yelled, pulling Thunder off of Sharpblade. "He is not our enemy. He's here to help us."

"What makes you so sure he isn't lying?" Spear asked.

"Because, he never lied to me before." Night replied.

"Look, it's a long story, and we really don't have time. I can break it all down, but we need to move as well." Sharpblade said.

"Fine, first of all, tell us why you want to help us now?" Thunderblast asked.

"Well. It was just a few months ago, me and Night Shadow were so close to each other. We were literally brothers, then that time when the Canterlot Royal Bank was robbed, and it got blown up, I was in it. I thought I was dead, and Scarwings revived me. I wanted to leave the plan, but he said he would kill me if I did, so I stayed in it. I don't like what he's planning at all, I really want to help. Please, let me help." Sharpblade explained and pleaded.

Thunderblast and Spear turned to look at each other then back to Sharpblade.

"Fine, you can help us." Thunderblast said, then extending his wing with a knife sticking out of it to his neck. "If you betray us, i'll kill you. Got it?"

"O-okay.. I got it.." Sharpblade stuttered, recoiling back.

"Good." Thunder said, folding his wing back up. "Now, what are we going to do?"

"Well. First, we should probably help Con Mane." Sharpblade said.

"He said he doesn't need any help." Night Shadow said.

"Yeah, but he's in trouble. Scarwings has him strapped down." Sharp said.

"Let me guess, with a laser slowly coming up to his body?" Thunderblast said.

"How'd you know?" Sharp asked.

"Are you kidding? It's a common move in the movies. Where is he at? We can still save him." Thunderblast said back.

"He's at the same warehouse where you guys were held captive at. Come on let's go." Sharp said, running off, the three close behind.

"Wait, I thought you never saw the 008 movies, Thunder?" Night said, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I saw them, I wouldn't miss out on a good movie." Thunder replied.

The four then ran all the way to the warehouse, taking them another 45 minutes to reach it. Meanwhile, inside the warehouse.

"Ugh, come on Joe, you're in this situation all the time, how do you escape from steel straps?" Con Mane said to himself, looking at the straps then to the laser, which was almost to his body.

Scarwings walked by, laughing insanely. "Don't even think about trying to escape, Con Mane. You're doomed, just accept it already." he said.

Con Mane didn't reply to that, but only glared at him. He then turned his attention to the laser again, which was even closer than before.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt one bit." Scarwings said, smirking. "It'll hurt alot." he continued, laughing insanely again.

At that moment, Thunderblast and Night Shadow flew in from a window, attacking some of Scarwings' minions, while Spear took control of the laser, burning away the straps restraining Con Mane.

"WHAT THE?!" Scarwings said, before getting tackled by Sharpblade.

"I've had it with you, Scarwings. All of this time, I wanted to leave the plan, and now is my chance." Sharpblade said, slamming Scarwings down on the floor while the others fought off his minions.

"Oh, Sharpblade. I knew you didn't want to be a part of the plan. I knew this day would come where you'd revolt. I had it all planned." Scarwings smirked.

Sharpblade recoiled back, his angry face fading into a worried face, giving Scarwings the opportunity to kick him off. He then looked over at Night Shadow and Thunderblast, who weren't fighting, but were pinned down. Scarwings then slowly raised a pistol, aimed at Sharp, and prepared to fire, but the gun was knocked out of his hoof by a knife, which sliced through the gun and destroyed the barrel. He looked towards Con Mane, who was now standing up straight.

"Leave him to me, Sharp." Con Mane said, coming over to Scarwings. Before he could do anything, Scarwings quickly flew away, his minions also escaping, taking the Amulator with them, leaving the five alone in the warehouse.

"Say goodbye, ponies!" Scarwings said, pressing a button on his way out, then flying away laughing.

A loud beeping noise echoed through the building, and red lights flashed on tiny black boxes around the room.

"Go, GO!" Con Mane yelled, grabbing Sharpblade and running out, Thunderblast, Night, and Spear flying out.

After clearing the warehouse and taking cover, it was destroyed in a massive explosion which shattered windows.

"Woah.." Spear said, peeking up from behind a carrige.

"That was...REALLY close.." Night said, looking at the destroyed and burning building that they were just inside.

"Yeah it was..." Sharpblade said.

Thunderblast looked to his right and saw Con Mane walking away.

"Hey... Where are you going?" Thunderblast asked.

"Back to my lab." Con Mane said back.

"Don't you think now you need help?" Spear asked.

"No." Con Mane said, stopping and glaring back at them. "I told you, I work alone." he said, continuing his way down the street, just before getting stopped by the four.

"No, Con Mane. You need our help." Night Shadow said. "Whether you like it or not."

"Get out of my way!" Con Mane said, pushing through them.

"HEY! STOP!" Sharpblade yelled, tackling him and holding him down.

"GET THE BUCK OFF OF ME!" Con Mane screamed, kicking his legs.

"NO! Didn't you see what happened back there?! If we didn't come, you would be dead right now." Spear said.

Con Mane stopped struggling and sighed. "Yes, I did. I was just about to escape when you four came, however." he said.

Thunderblast, Night Shadow, and Spear glared at him, not believing a word he just said.

"What?" Con Mane asked.

"No, you couldn't have. Your weapons were taken from you, you would have been cut in half." Night Shadow said.

"I still could have escaped! Even without my stupid weapons!" Con Mane yelled.

"Whatever, come on guys." Thunderblast said, walking away with Spear and Night Shadow, Sharpblade hopping off of Con Mane and following them.

Con Mane sat up and watched them leave, before finally coming to his senses.

"FINE. I need your help." Con Mane said. "I can't take them all on alone." he said, sighing.

The four stopped and looked at him.

"Are you sure?" Sharpblade asked.

"Yes, i'm sure." Con Mane said, standing up straight. "You guys saved me, I tried taking them all on and I failed. I need as much help as I can get."

"What do you want us to do?" Thunderblast asked, turning around and facing Con Mane.

"I'll tell you all later, but for now, we need to prepare. Scarwings is going to carry out his plan tomorrow afternoon." Con Mane said.

Chapter 9 - I Don't Work Alone

"Today is finally the day, Scarwings." Goldbar said to Scarwings, who was attaching the Alicorn Amulet to the Amulator. "The day that we rule this pathetic country."

"It sure is, Goldbar." Scarwings said back. "In just a couple of hours, the Amulator will be at full power, and we'll show these ponies who we really are." He said, chuckling darkly.

"Come on guys, we have just two hours before they carry out their plan!" Con Mane said, leading the four stallions into his lab, walking over to his computer and pressing a button, which opened the door to a large armory. "Get as many weapons as you need."

The four walked into the armory and gasped.

"Where did you get all of these weapons?" Spear asked, in total awe.

Con Mane chuckled. "It's a long story, and I don't have time to explain. Load up." He said, grabbing some pistols and ammo, as well as a couple of knives.

Sharpblade grabbed a pistol and a machine gun, as he had more experience with guns than the others, as well as a spear and ammo, while Thunderblast, Spear, and Night Shadow grabbed a pistol, ammo, knives, and spears. Then, the four put on their guard armor for extra protection, Con Mane leaving his black suit on, looking very in-tactical.

After gearing up, Con Mane lead them through Canterlot, which took an hour and fifteen minutes, just in time for the plan to start.

"The Amulator is powered up. Shall I activate it?" asked an emerald green pegasus, who was standing by the Amulator with his hoof over the activate button.

"Hold fire for a moment, I want to go live." Scarwings said, smirking.

"You got it." Goldbar said, who was hacking into TV stations across Equestria, and interrupting their broadcast.

"In other news today, there was a st----at Can-----lot----dens---" A news anchor said, static interrupting him, before turning over to video of Scarwings sitting in front of the Amulator as it is prepared to be fired.

"Good afternoon, Citizens of Equestria. I am Scarwings, your future ruler." He said, smirking. "You are all about to witness the most powerful weapon known to pony kind." he continued, moving out of the way, giving viewers a good look at the Amulator, which was sitting on the edge of the tallest building in Canterlot, the CT Business Tower.

Ponies gathered at TV screens in store windows, restaurants, and even jumbotrons in Downtown, which were all broadcasting Scarwings' speech. Some ran away screaming and panicking, while others stayed put.

"What is happening my dear sister? Who is thou on the TV?" Princess Luna asked, watching her TV, while her sister Princess Celestia looked out the window facing the skyline.

"I don't know, Luna." Princess Celestia replied. "We cannot let them take Canterlot. Guards!" she yelled out.

Two pegasi guards came into her room. "Yes, your majesty?" one asked, removing his helmet in respect.

"I want you to find Shining Armor, and tell him that I order that he dispatches all Royal Guards to defend Canterlot. I also want an evacuation of the city at once." She ordered.

"It will be done." The other guard said, both saluting at her and trotting off to find their captain, Princess Celestia returning to her window while Luna continued watching the broadcast.

"This is the Amulator, the most powerful weapon in the world that I mentioned earlier. Don't worry, I won't use it on you, unless you decide to fight back. Anypony in my way will be destroyed in the most painful way possible. For example..." Scarwings explained, moving the camera facing some royal guards running towards the tower in the plaza below. "Fire the Amulator, destroy those poor excuses of soldiers." he ordered.

"Yes, sir." The emerald green pegasus replied, turning on the Amulator and aiming it towards the guards, who heard the sound of it firing up and looking up.

"What on earth?!" A guard shouted, just before getting hit with a beam from the machine, completely vaporizing him, leaving his armor laying on the ground.

"WOAH." Another guard said in shock, the others gasping.

"EVERYPONY EVACUATE THE AREA!" Another guard ordered, and ponies scattered in every direction trying to get to safety.

"Hmm, maybe we should show them what else we can do." Goldbar said.

"Yes. Fire at that building!" Scarwings ordered, pointing to a six story building below.

"At once, sir." The pegasus replied, firing at the building, blowing it to smitherines.

Ponies saw the building explode, and still ran away from the chaos, while more royal guards arrived at the scene.

Con Mane and the others felt the ground shake, and immediately knew the Amulator had been activated.

"WHAT THE BUCK WAS THAT?" Thunderblast yelled, eyes shrinking.

"I think I might have an idea." Night Shadow said, pointing to the fiery plume not far away, rising over the skyline.

"Sweet Celestia." Con Mane said, as a couple more explosions rocked the city. "We need to get downtown. NOW."

The five continued running like the wind towards the chaos, running through hordes of ponies trying to get away from downtown. After running into a small alley in downtown, Con Mane cocked his pistol and peeked around the corner, just as a fruit stand explodes.

"What's the plan, Jo--I mean, Con Mane?" Sharpblade asked.

Con Mane looked at all of his options to safely get up to the rooftop, the only one being running up the tower, as no other building was the same height.

"I need you guys to make a distraction while I run up the building to the roof. When I get there, I want you all to meet up with me on the roof so we can fight off Scar's minions." Con Mane explained.

"I don't think they'll let you get up that tower, Con Mane." Thunderblast said.

"They won't, but I can take them." Con Mane said back.

"Ahem?" Spear said, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, we can take them." Con Mane said, smiling. "But we need to go." he said, running out of the alley towards the tower.

"Alright, you heard him. Let's go boys. All of Equestria depends on us five." Thunderblast said, and the four all high-hoofed, before Thunder, Night, and Spear flew out of the alley to distract the pony controlling the Amulator, while Sharpblade ran up the stairs with Con Mane, taking a few other ponies out on the way.

"SIR! There's three royal guards approaching! Should I fire?" The green pegasus asked.

"Yes, blow them all to hell." Scarwings said, walking to the edge and watching the three closely.

The pegasus aimed the Amulator at them, and Night Shadow eyed it closely.

"Split up guys! Fly erratically so they can't get a lock on us!" Night said, and they split up, flying in a Wonderbolts' fashion.

"Sir I can't get a good lock on them! They have good flying abilities." The pegasus said, struggling to get a lock on Thunderblast and his friends.

"Ugh, JUST FIRE AT THEM! You'll have to hit one of them sometime!" Scarwings barked, and the green pegasus continued trying to aim, and started firing.

One beam came within an inch of Spear, and he grabbed his pistol.

"HEY YOU PIECE OF CRAP! THAT ALMOST HIT ME!" He shouted, shooting at the pegasus, striking him in his hoof.

"AAAGH" The pegasus screamed, falling backwards in pain.

Meanwhile, Princess Luna looked out her window, and what she saw brought nothing but horror, and she watched helplessly as smoke and fire rose above the once magnificent metropolis.

"Oh my...." She said, tearing up. "What is happening out there?"

Just then, a royal guard opened the door to her room and ran in.

"Princess Luna, I have been ordered to evacuate you to the bunker." The guard said, trotting up to her.

"Where's my sister?" Luna asked.

"She's on her way to the bunker. Please, come with me." He replied, just before getting stabbed in his back by a pony wearing an outfit similar to an assassins.

Luna screamed and jumped back, as the guard fell to the floor in pain. The pegasus stallion behind the guard walked over him and to Luna, before removing pulling his hoodie back to reveal a light brown pony with cyan eyes.

"Hello your majesty. Scarwings sends his regards." He smirked.

"W-what do you want with me?" Luna stuttered, still backing away from him into the wall.

"Keep flying erratically! Their aim isn't that good with a heavy machine!" Spear yelled, still flying around the rooftop at a distance, while the others dodged deadly lasers being shot at them.

A moment later, a light blue unicorn took over the controls, now that the green pegasus can't aim with an injured hoof, and he got a lock on Spear.

Spear had little time to react, and before he could, the laser struck his wing, but didn't vaporize him.

"AUGH!" He screamed in pain, then falling towards the ground.

"SPEAR!" Thunderblast yelled, diving after him, and catching him, Spear's wing badly hurt.

Spear panted and held onto Thunder tightly. "Th-thank you, Thunder." he said, cringing in pain.

"You're gonna be fine, Spear." Thunderblast said, trying to calm his friend. "It struck your wing. Had it hit your body, you wouldn't be here." he said, flying Spear down to some guards. "Get him medical attention."

"Yes sir." One of the guards replied, putting Spear on his back and running from the area, Thunderblast taking back to the skies.

"We're almost there!" Sharpblade yelled, running up numerous flights of stairs, ninja-kicking a couple of minions who he nearly ran into. "Just a few more-."

When Sharp and Con Mane reached the 62nd floor, 3 floors below the top floor, they found a large group of ponies, guns aimed at the two, waiting for them.

"Well hello there." One pony said, clicking his gun.

"Uhh. I hope you have a plan, Con Mane." Sharpblade whispered to Con Mane, looking at all of the ponies in front of him, eyes shrinking.

Chapter 10 - Who Wants Donuts?

"I hope you have a plan." Sharpblade whispered to Con Mane, who was observing the small army of ponies with guns drawn in front of them.

"Get them boy-."

Before the pony could finish, the sounds of machine guns filled the room, and the windows from the east side of the tower shattered, and a rain of bullets and glass shards hurtled at the ponies, taking them out easily.

Sharpblade's eyes shrunk at the sight of the ponies who were once standing tall in front of them, are now down on the ground in severe pain. Sharp and Con Mane looked out the shattered windows to see Thunderblast holding a machine gun, and pulling his face back from the scope, and he waved.

"Thought you could use some help!" Thunderblast shouted.

"Thanks, Thunder!" Con Mane yelled back. "Come on Sharp." he said, running up the last flights of stairs to the rooftop, where Scarwings was watching the city crumble around him, oblivious to the two sneaking up on him.

Thunderblast and Night Shadow flew onto the rooftop next to Con Mane and Sharp, and when they landed, Scarwings turned around and was holding a blue pegasus mare with a rainbow mane at gunpoint.

"RAINBOW DASH?!" Thunder yelled, eyes shrinking.

"Th-Thunder. Help." Rainbow Dash stuttered, shaking like a leaf.

"Come any closer, and I blow Rainbow Dash's head clean off." Scarwings threatened. "Drop your weapons, and i'll drop mine."

The four looked at each other, and slowly lowered their weapons, Thunderblast however, keeping a knife tucked under his wing while he gathered a plan together to save his marefriend.

"Good." Scarwings grinned, but didn't lower his gun.

"You said you'd drop your gun." Thunderblast said, narrowing his eyes onto the stallion.

"Oh, I lied." Scarwings said, smirking.

"W-what?!" Rainbow Dash stuttered, looking at Scar in fear, then back to Thunder with tears in her eyes.

"You see, it wasn't all that easy planning this whole thing out. It took years of planning and putting together, and you all thought i'm just going to let you waltz in and stop me? You think i'm going to just let Equestria be the worthless, pathetic country that it is? No. I refuse to let Equestria be ruled by these so called princesses. They don't even raise the sun and the moon! They just claim to do it so they can become famous and loved!" Scarwings said in an angry tone. "If that is how you all choose to live, then say goodbye to the old Equestria. Today, is the day, a NEW Equestria begins." he said, before grabbing Rainbow's wing and twisting and snapping it like a twig.

"AAAAAAAUGH!" She screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground.

"Do it NOW!" Night Shadow said, putting his hoof up to his ear, and talking into a small microphone he secretly had.

At his word, a sniper in a nearby tower got a lock on Scarwings from behind, and took the shot, striking him in the back.

Scarwings' eyes widened the moment the bullet hit his back, and he soon became weak. He looked at his back, and saw a red fluid gushing down his back where his left wing would be, and after turning back to face the stallions, he collapsed onto the ground, face down.

Thunderblast ran to Rainbow Dash, who was in severe pain.

"Dashie! What did he do to you?" Thunder asked picking her up in his hooves, very worried.

"He broke my wing.." Rainbow Dash cried.

"Here, let me see her." Con Mane said, walking up to them and inspecting her wing.

Rainbow cringed in pain as Con Mane touched her mangled wing.

"It's broken badly, but it should be fine." Con Mane said, pulling back and looking at Thunderblast. "I'll stay here with her."

"The....princesses..." Scarwings muttered, slowly raising his head up.

"What about the princesses?" Sharpblade asked.

Scarwings smirked and laughed. "You're too late. My assassin probably has killed them and your puny guards by now."

"WHAT?" Night Shadow yelled, eyes shrinking.

"Turns out my plan did work." Scarwings said, before coughing up some blood.

Con Mane turned and faced them and said. "You three need to get to the castle as fast as possible. They could still be held there."

"What about you? We need you too." Sharp asked.

"I'm staying here with Thunder's marefriend. When you get there..." Con Mane stopped for a moment. "Ask them, 'who wants donuts?" he said, smirking.

Thunderblast looked at Night Shadow and Sharpblade, then they all looked back at Con Mane.

"We won't let you down." Thunderblast said back, getting his game face on, before flying off with Sharpblade on his back, and Night Shadow at his left.

"Good luck." Con Mane said, watching them fly away, then returning his attention to Rainbow Dash.

"I DEMAND THOU PUTS ME DOWN!" Luna yelled in the royal Canterlot voice, being carried and thrown onto the floor next to her sister in the castle bunker by the brown pegasus assassin.

The assassin smirked and a knife shot out of his sleeve, red from stabbing numerous guards. "Say goodnight, princesses." he said, walking closer to them slowly.

Luna crawled backwards away, quivering in fear. "P-please. No." She said, tears building in her eyes.

Four royal guards, also in the bunker, who are tied to chairs, watch helplessly as the princesses are approached by the assassin. Just then, the same light blue unicorn from earlier opened the bunker door, carrying a frightened Shining Armor in his magic grip, hooves tied together.

"Let me go!" Shining Armor demanded, struggling to break free, just before getting dropped onto the floor next to Luna.

"I found him in the castle gardens trying to fire magic beams at the Amulator, boss." The unicorn said.

"Trying to stop the new Equestria, are we? Hmm?" The assassin smirked to Shining.

"You won't win this war, whatever your name is." Shining said, glaring up at the stallion.

"Oh, yes I will. Everypony knows an assassin can't be beat." The assassin said back, preparing to stab Shining Armor.

Shining struggled with the ropes, then braced to be stabbed once he realized he couldn't escape.

Before the assassin could stab him, the sounds of glass shattering could be heard throughout the castle, and the unicorn trotted out to see what was causing the rucuss. He arrived at a hallway, windows completely blown out, and before he could react, Thunderblast flew down and picked him up by his neck, and slowly started to choke him.

"AGH." The unicorn coughed, trying to pry Thunder's hooves off, but was no match for his strength.

Night Shadow then jumped up, kicking the unicorn in the face, knocking him unconcious, then jumping off of him and landing on his hooves. Thunder dropped the unicorn, now out cold, then flew down the hallway with Night Shadow, as Sharpblade prepared to attack from another hallway.

"Hmm. Enough time has gone by, I say we destroy another building." The assassin said, tapping his hoof on the ground. He then walked up to Goldbar, who was standing by the door. "Tell them to destroy Outpost #49" he said, smirking.

"Right away, chief." Goldbar replied, trotting off to the Amulator in it's new location on a helipad.

The captured guards and Shining Armor gasped.

"No!" Shining Armor shouted, struggling more, then gave up. "You can't do this!"

"We already have." The assassin grinned.

"The boss wants you to fire at Outpost #49." Goldbar said, trotting up to a couple of ponies by the Amulator.

"Yes sir, but we need to wait." A pegasus replied.

"What?! Why?" Goldbar asked.

"The Amulator is out of energy, it needs to recharge." An earth pony said, sitting in the chair on the Amulator.

"What do you mean it needs to recharge?! It has unlimited power!" Goldbar said back in an angry voice.

"I'm sorry sir, we underestimated this." A unicorn trotted up, just before getting thrown off of the helipad, falling into a pond below.

"This is absolute MADNESS!" Goldbar yelled, trotting back into the castle to the bunker.

"The bunker isn't far away!" Sharpblade said, trotting down the massive maze of hallways, Thunderblast and Night Shadow flying above.

After turning a corner, the hallway to the bunker was completely blocked off by hundreds of ponies, and more came in the way the three guards came, surrounding them completely.

"Looks like we have to do this the hard way." Night Shadow said, looking at the ponies slowly closing on them.

"Hey guys... Who wants DONUTS?!" Thunderblast said, pulling out a sword and holding it in the air for a moment.

After that moment, a large fight broke out in the hallway.

Thunderblast and Night Shadow flew down to handle the ponies with Sharpblade, who fired lasers to keep them back. When a large group of them came up behind Thunder, he aimed his sword in a position where Sharpblade would fire a magic laser at it, but it would split off and strike the ponies behind him.

Soon, they started to become overwhelmed, and were quickly losing the battle.

"We have to...ERGH! Keep fighting!" Thunderblast yelled, fighting off ponies with his sword.

"Give up guards! You don't stand a chance against ussss!" One pony hissed.

Sharp turned to look at him, and in the blink of an eye and a bright green flash, the pony transformed into a changeling, as did many others, but not all.

"CHANGELINGS?!" Night Shadow said, backing into Thunderblast, who him and Sharp were backing into each other, and they huddled together as the changelings and ponies came closer.

"Ugh. I hate changelings." Thunderblast grumbled.

"Guys, on the count of three, I want you to duck." Sharpblade said.

"Why?" Night asked.

"Just DO IT!" Sharp said. "One, two, THREE!"

Night Shadow and Thunderblast ducked down, and Sharpblade levitated slightly into the air, lighting up his horn in a bright blue, then his magic exploding in a shockwave which blew the changelings and ponies back, taking them out in a heartbeat.

"WOAH." Thunderblast said, standing back up and wiping some broken glass and pebbles off of him.

Night Shadow stood up and looked at Sharpblade. "When did you learn to do that?!" he asked.

"Long story, no time. Let's go." Sharp responded, starting to trot off when he heard Celestia's scream, which made them all stop dead in their tracks.

"THE PRINCESSES!" They all said at once, then running off to find them.

"What do you mean it needs to recharge?" The assassin asked, yelling at Goldbar.

"Apparently after a while the Amulator needs to take more energy from the Alicorn Amulet. Don't worry, it will be back up and running soon." Goldbar replied, grinning and walking back to the Amulator.

"Good, because I can't wait any longer." The assassin said, turning and facing the princesses and Shining Armor. "I want you all to live to see your defense fall, starting with the royal guard outposts."

"You think this is creating a new Equestria? You think all of this chaos and destruction is helping?! You are all CRAZY!" Princess Celestia said, yanking on the chains holding her to the wall.

"It's not only helping, but it will teach our little ones who will make our future a better place that there is no longer a need for a princess and her puny guards." said the emerald green pegasus, who's hoof was bandaged up after being shot by Spear.

"You don't know what you're doing! Equestria and the entire world for that matter need the princesses. Without them, it could be the end of everything!" Shining Armor said, now leaning against the wall.

"The end of everything? What are you, a doomsayer now?" The assassin chuckled.

"No. But he is telling the truth." Sharpblade said from the doorway, where Night Shadow and Thunderblast were also standing.

"Untie him and hand them over to us." Thunderblast said, holding his sword.

"And why would I do that?" The assassin said, before three small knives shot out of his sleeve.

Thunderblast jumped in front of his friends, and opened his wings in front of them. When the knives hit his wings, instead of going through them, the knives shattered upon impact, causing no pain to Thunder, who folded his wings back up, and the three charged at the green pegasus and the assassin.

"NIGHT! I need you to fly out there and destroy the Amulator. You hear me?" Thunderblast said, pinning the assassin down and trying not to get stabbed.

"I got it, but what about you two?" Night asked.

"We got this. GO!" Sharp said, fighting the green pegasus.

Night stood where he was for a moment before nodding and flying out the bunker door and to the Amulator, where Goldbar was.

He hovered in the air near the helipad, and prepared to fly down, but suddenly a lasso flew up and wrapped around his hooves and tied him up, but he remained in the air.

"HEY!" He yelled, struggling to get free.

At the other end of the rope, was Scarwings, who was working on pulling Night Shadow down and was cackling like a mad pony.

"URGH!" Night struggled, flapping his wings as hard as he could, but still slowly being pulled down.

Back in the bunker, the assassin had Thunder and Sharp pinned down, weapons completely knocked away.

"You are fools for trying to stop us." The assassin said.

"We're the fools? You're the fool for messing with royal guards!" Sharpblade said.

"I love messing with royal guards, it's fun when I kill." The assassin said, about to swing the blade sticking out of his sleeve at the two to kill them, when suddenly he gets blown into the wall by a blast of magic, and he is knocked unconcious.

Thunderblast and Sharpblade looked at a tied up unicorn guard.

"I'm fed up with him." The guard said, watching the assassin slide down the wall to the ground.

"I guess that works." Thunder chuckled, then helped Sharp up. "I hope Night destroyed that machine." he said, as they freed the guards, the princesses and Shining Armor.

Outside, Night Shadow was losing the battle between him and Scarwings, still being slowly pulled down.

"The Amulator is charged up completely!" One of the ponies said.

"Fire it now!" Scarwings ordered, and the pony pressed the button to fire, aiming at Royal Guard outpost #49 a mile away.

Just then, Night Shadow slipped one hoof free, and grabbed a shuriken, and threw it into the cannon barrel of the Amulator, and the aim changed, and the Amulator was now aimed at the 60th floor of the Canterlot Trade Business Tower, where Con Mane and Rainbow Dash are still at on the roof.

"NO!" Scarwings yelled, letting go of Night Shadow, who freed himself completely, and the Amulator fired at the building, exploding a moment after, and taking out most of the 59th and 60th floor.

"SWEET CELESTIA!" Rainbow Dash screamed, as the top five floors of the building tilted over and fell onto four floors below, then falling off of the rest of the building and towards the street below.

"NOO!" Thunderblast screamed, taking off and flying at supersonic speeds towards downtown, Night Shadow close behind.

"AAAAAH" Rainbow Dash screamed as her and Con Mane fell towards the street.

As the building crashed onto other buildings and the street, Thunderblast caught Rainbow Dash right in the nick of time, as Night Shadow did Con Mane, who slowly lifted him up on his back.

"Thunder!" Rainbow Dash gasped, smiling and hugging her coltfriend tight, as he held her in his hooves.

Elsewhere, the building collapse and rescue could be seen on TV and in the surrounding area, and crowds of ponies cheered.

At Outpost #49, the first outpost to be destroyed, every royal guard ran out into the training grounds and street cheering, and the last moments of the attack and rebellion are broadcasted across all of Equestria.

"We did it." Thunderblast said to Rainbow Dash, Night Shadow, and Con Mane, landing on the ground as the dust from the collapse cleared.

"We sure did." Con Mane said, smiling at them. "We ALL did it."

Sharpblade and Shining Armor then teleported to them, bringing Scarwings, Goldbar and the last remaining minions with them tied up.

"This isn't the last of us, Con Mane." Scarwings grumbled, getting picked up by a royal guard and taken away. "We will be back."

"Good luck with that!" Night shouted to him, and they all laughed.

"So, you still work alone, Con Mane?" Spear asked, trotting up to them with a bandaged up wing.

"Actually, I think i'll change that. Working alone at times can be good, but at other times, working with others can be really helpful, like the last couple of days. If I need any help in future assignments, I will most definitely come to you four for it." Con Mane chuckled and smiled.

"And we'll be here to help you anytime." Thunderblast said.

"Anyways, I should be on my way. Gotta, tell my boss that the mission is complete." Con Mane said. "See you all later." he said, before teleporting away in a flash of magic.

They all watched him teleport away, and at that moment, Rainbow Dash and Thunderblast kissed romantically in front of a large crowd of ponies, who were all cheering from the moment Equestria was saved.

"Y'know, I wonder if he actually will need us again." Night pondered.

"I'm sure he will. Sometime that is." Sharpblade said.

"Great job you four. Wonderful job indeed, and thank you for saving us back there." Shining Armor said to them, then walked up to Sharpblade, who was expecting to be lectured for helping the bad guys. "Sharpblade, you are the one I should thank the most. You were unsure if you wanted to bail from the plan so you could help your friends, and you faced the fear of being killed by Scarwings so you could help defend Equestria." he said, smiling at the slightly smaller unicorn.

"Thank you sir." Sharpblade said, smiling back.

"Please, just call me Shining." Shining Armor responded.

In the light of this disaster, I, along with four other ponies, stood up against evil to defend our city, and our country. We faced many challenges along the way, but still managed to save Equestria. This is Con Mane, signing out.